Duffy Daugherty Forum

Coach D actually has no connection to Eric Smith who is formerly of the NY Jets. Dantonio was the DB coach at MSU from '95-'00, and Smith came to the team in '01. Dantonio became the head coach at MSU in '07, and Smith left in '06.

But yes, Michigan State has some good history with a similarly named safety

Eric Smith signed in February 2001, he was scouted and offered by Coach Dantonio while Dantonio was DB coach at MSU in 2000. Dantonio left for the OSU job before Smith started at MSU, but without Dantonio it is doubtful whether Smith would've gone to MSU, he was not a highly sought after recruit.

Hope the coaches offer another Ohio safety soon that I feel we'd have a better shot with. Darius West, who plays for the same high school as Tyler O'connor did.

Debatable. Smith was never at MSU the same time Dantonio was. I'll change my answer to very little involvement considering Smith wasn't coached or around Dantonio at all, because scouting and offering contributes little to a player's success. It just influences where they go to school and how much attention they receive.

That being said, where does this Smith rank among the safeties in Ohio? Is he a cover guy or more run-support?

EGF

Good god man I just said Coach D has a nice history of similarly named safeties out of OH.

It's well documented how Coach D discovered Eric Smith and was his only big football school offer. Never said he actually coached him or contributed to his eventual run to the NFL. So his history is recruiting and offering Smith out of high school.

As for other safeties in OH still early and guys have their senior year to go. This kid does come from the Glenville factory so he has some good coaching and competition to play.

Lewis and Darquez yeah, but do you see Drummound going early?

Wow everyone chill out. Spartan89 said that Coach D has a good history with a similarly named safety. This is an incredibly broad statement. It can be interpreted and argued many ways. Yes Coach D scouted and offered him and it was a contributing factor as to why he ended up at MSU. However, I'm sure other coaches and factors contributed to Smith suiting up as a Spartan.

If you're going to tell me that Dantonio is the reason why Eric Smith has had a successful career at MSU and with the NY Jets, that's an extrapolation and difficult to prove. Dantonio did not coach Smith, or have any sort of involvement with him once he was at MSU. That goes to the coaches who were here at the time and Smith.

Did Dantonio make a good call in scouting and offering Smith? Yes. Spartan89 is right. Anything more than that (for example, saying Dantonio was instrumental in Smith's successful career) is speculation.

Williamson could also play CB or WR. Probably not gonna play WR at any point for us but he's an option at corner if Waynes/Robinson don't work out.